Monday, July 28, 2008

Not-a-Tiramisu

In deference to purists, I'll put it right at the start, this isn't a traditional Tiramisù. Its relationship to Tiramisù is that it is a layered dessert made with coffee soaked cake and mascarpone.

The cake used was a weekend leftover - it was this chocolate and hazelnut cake I've written about in the past. To make a little bit go a lot further, I sliced it thinly and then soaked it in cooled blend of espresso and Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur).

Rather than go for the egg/mascarpone blend of the traditional I took a much simpler route. A 50/50 mix of cream and mascarpone, lightly whipped with vanilla bean paste to give it an attractive speckled appearance.

They both end the same way - left in the fridge to chill and set and then sprinkled with cocoa powder.

With its blend of chocolate, hazelnuts, coffee, mascarpone and cream, regardless of its pedigree, it is utterly delicious.

An earlier example of Tiramisù vandalism shamelessly made in Florence, can also be found here.